by Ann McCune
I finally found my way through the trees and emerged in a small clearing on the side of the hill. It was weird, there were no trees or saplings, and the grass was short and yellow. I would have thought it was autumn except the few Aspen trees on the edge of the clearing had green leaves. Right in the middle of the clearing there was an old mineshaft.
My legs continued to carry me forward, even though I knew there was something wrong with this place. I tried to stop, but I had no control over what my body was doing. I closed my eyes and concentrated on stopping. When my legs finally stopped I was about twenty yards from the opening of the shaft. It was calling to me with a dark, sinister, all-encompassing power. I didn’t want to move closer, but I lost control of my feet again and started to move closer to the opening. When I was a few feet from it, I peered into the darkness. It was the darkest thing I had ever seen, like there was nothing in the hole to reflect the light. A chill shook me, and as I looked into the abyss, it felt like this was where true evil was born. I wanted to run home but my body refused to obey my mind. My legs dragged me closer to the opening, and I started to make out cobwebs and darker things I could not put a name to scurrying around in the dark.
“There you are, Elizabeth Robinson,” the scratchy voice said from behind me. I forced myself to spin around as my heart rate picked up. “Welcome to my home. I didn’t think I would find you here.”
“Leave me alone,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Now, what fun would that be? You are the last piece of the puzzle. Once I have you, we will move to your plane and eat until my hunger is finally sated.” He took a step closer to me and reached a hand out as if to caress my cheek, but the force field stopped him. “Damn you and your protection,” he bellowed.
I took a step to the side. I didn’t like being between him and the opening to the shaft. “Why do you think sucking my soul out will help you change planes?” I asked, thankful for my protection but ready to leave the clearing.
“Because when I sucked the soul of your father, he gave me more power than I had ever had, and you are stronger than he was.” The goblin laughed, and I started to shake.
“You killed my father?” I asked, my voice trembling from fear and anger. He was the reason why I had never met my bio-dad.
“Yes, he thought he could close the gate and send us back to our dimension for good. The silly man had no idea who he was going up against.” The goblin walked around me, looking for a weakness in my protection.
“You bastard,” I yelled, and remembering what Shawn had told me about thinking of a gun.
I closed my eyes and thought about the .30-06 my dad was cleaning when Shawn came to pick me up for our date. It had a wooden stock, stained so black I could barely see the grain in the wood. It was bolt action with a scope, and the magazine held three rounds plus one in the chamber. It was heavy, and the shoulder strap always dug in when I was hiking with it. When I opened my eyes, it was in my hands and I brought it to my shoulder and took aim at the goblin.
“You can’t kill me, silly girl. Your weapons are useless. I may leave for a time, but I will come back for you.”
Ignoring him, I pulled the trigger, but it was too late; he disappeared. I screamed in frustration and dropped the gun. I turned, ready to hike out of the clearing, but my body had other ideas as it started to back toward the opening of the shaft. I knew going down there would mean the end of me. I couldn’t let it happen. I turned to face the abyss and forced myself to my knees, refusing to go any further. The top half of my body was forced forward and my hands shot out to save me from a face full of dirt. Wind began blowing through the opening and into my face, bringing with it voices. I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but it was important, I felt it in my gut. I needed to understand whatever they were trying to tell me.
“What? I can’t understand what you are saying,” I yelled into the opening. The wind picked up and the voices became louder.
They were all saying the same thing, but it was so disjointed I couldn’t figure it out. I closed my eyes and tried to find one voice to concentrate on. “Help us.” I finally made out.
I stood and backed up a step, the force pulling me into the opening was gone. “How?” I called back, not wanting to venture into the darkness.
They all started speaking at once again, and I couldn’t understand them. I closed my eyes again and listened hard. “You have to close the gate.”
“How? Where is it?” I asked as the wind picked up, I had to lean into it to keep my footing.
They started talking again but the wind was becoming too much, all I could hear was the wind blowing across my ears. Without warning, a gust picked me up off the ground and flung me through the air away from the mineshaft. Terrified I would be impaled on a tree, I closed my eyes and reminded myself it was just a dream.
The wind stopped, and I felt my legs connect with the ground. I opened my eyes and found myself in Shawn’s padded room. I was shaking uncontrollably, my heart was racing, and I was cold, so cold. I looked around, I was alone. I sat against the wall and brought my knees up to my chest, wrapped my arms around them, and rested my head on my knees. Just breathe, I thought to myself. It was just a dream, nothing bad could happen to me in a dream.
Something brushed my arm, and I jumped, jerking my head up, ready to fight. Shawn was standing there looking confused. “Are you alright? What are you doing here?”
“I had a weird dream, I was trying to get out of it. I thought of a safe place and I ended up here.” I stood, and realized I was trembling.
“Was something chasing you?” he asked, looking me over.
“No, but the goblin showed up. He said he killed my dad. He said I was the last piece of the puzzle, he thinks if he can suck out my soul he can come through to our plane. I tried to shoot him, but he disappeared before I got the shot off.
“Then there was this mineshaft opening, and it was dark. I don’t mean just no light dark, but the feeling emanating from it was dark. Then these voices started calling for me to help them. When I asked them how, the wind picked up and blew me through the air. The next thing I knew, I was here.”
“That’s an odd dream. You’re shaking come here.” Shawn pulled me into his arms. “You’re alright, everything is fine.”
I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him, steadying myself in his embrace. “Thanks. Are you going to get in trouble for being here?”
“No, I’m done for the night. Is there anything I can do?” He pulled back to look at me.
“Just stay with me. I don’t want to be alone right now.” I rested my head on his shoulder, breathed in the smell of him, and finally started to relax.
I don’t know how long we stood there wrapped in each other’s arms but when my alarm started to go off I was calm, and the shaking had stopped.
CHAPTER 15
Saturday ended up being a great day even after the nightmare from the night before. Dad and I went to Spruce, I got a new cell phone and a bright blue Jeep Wrangler. It was a couple of years newer than my old one and had an aftermarket stereo with satellite radio. I was going to have to dig into my savings to pay for the radio, but it would be worth it. Shawn and I texted each other while I had service, I think he was worried about me.
When we got home from car shopping I worked on my homework and watched a movie with my parents. Shawn was on duty again that night and I was terrified of going to sleep. I finished my homework but didn’t want to study for my history test since I was going to study with Shawn the next day. I was looking for a book to read when I remembered my bio-dad’s journal.
I pulled it out of the drawer in my night stand and took it to my desk. I took a deep breath then opened it.
January 5, 1998
It was a long night, but I managed to save five souls and kill four of the goblins feeding off them. I’m going to find a way to send the goblins back to wherever they came from for good. I asked Jon to help me with my research, but he wants no part of it
and I don’t understand why.
I would love to retire from this life and live like a normal person. Go on a date, have children, and not worry about producing more Knights, but I will not stop until they have all been banished from the dream dimension. I couldn’t live with myself if people died while I did nothing.
I reread the passage shocked. My dad was a Knight like Shawn? Is that why they came to my home town? He was trying to find a way to get rid of the goblins for good, but he failed. I wondered if Shawn ever thought about it.
January 31, 1998
It feels like all is lost. A mare killed Jon’s father last night. The council chose Jon to be the new head of our territory. He hasn’t spoken to me about it yet, but I think he will try to force me to abandon my research. He is my best friend, but I will not stop looking for a way to save everyone from the goblins no matter what he says.
I was given a rune today. I was told it has been passed down to the strongest Knight in our clan for as long as anyone can remember. I asked Sven what it did, but he didn’t have an answer. All he told me was I should keep it close to me and when the time was right to hand it over to the next Knight I thought was worthy.
I have worn it since he gave it to me and have noticed nothing. Everything is the same as it was before I received it. I will do as tradition demands, but I see no point in it.
I got out of bed and pulled the tin out from under it. I pulled the rune out and held the leather thong in my hand while I looked at the rune. Was this what my dad had been talking about? Should I give it to Shawn? It probably belonged with his family since it should have been handed off to the next strongest Knight. I sat it on my nightstand thinking I would give it to Shawn the next day when he came over to study.
I picked the journal back up and reread the passage. What kind of research was my dad doing? Wasn’t Shawn’s dad name Jon? Jon was a pretty common name, but there were too many common factors for them not to be the same. I pulled out the picture of the boys from the day at the lake. I turned the photo over to see if there was anything written on the back but there was nothing. I looked at each of the boys trying to see if one of them looked like Shawn, but they were too far way and I couldn’t see any resemblance. I went back to the journal.
April 9, 1998
I do not know how much more of Jon’s demands I can take. I have not had a night off in weeks, but I think I know how the mares are entering the dream dimension. A door or a gate is open in their realm allowing them to enter.
We have moved three times since Jon took over. As soon as I zero in on the location of the gate he makes us move. I think he is following me or spying on me. How else could he know how close I am to coming up with a solution to the problem before making us move?
There was a gate? The goblin said he had to come back after Shawn killed him. If we found a way to close the gate maybe we could get rid of the mares for good, but if my dad couldn’t do it why would I?
July 4, 1998
I am leaving. I have not told anyone yet, but I can’t continue this way. I confronted Jon about why we were leaving each area before all the mares were neutralized. He said job security. I was speechless and walked away. He is happy with his life and the money we make.
We are nothing more than mercenaries. Pay us and we will save you from dying in your sleep. We are Knights! How can we worry about job security when people’s lives are at stake?
I took a deep breath. Jon was greedy, I hoped it didn’t carry over to Shawn. When I thought about Shawn, greed was the last thing I thought. He had a job, and it sounded like he did it well. He had a higher calling and wasn’t drawn to the money. I hoped I wouldn’t meet Jon any time soon though, I didn’t know if I could keep what I was learning to myself.
September 9, 1998
I am leaving this place tomorrow. I am going to California, there are always a lot of Mares there and the terrain should make it easy to find a gate. I will save all the people I can. I am going to steal one of the nets. I created them, I see no reason why I can’t take one with me. If I can find a gateway, maybe I can figure out how to close it and I won’t have to spend my life fighting off nightmares.
From what he wrote, killing them did not stop them from returning or new mares coming. Based on what I read a gate needed to be closed. They needed to be locked out. I looked at my watch, I wanted to find Shawn and tell him about my father, but it was late, and he was probably already working. We could talk about it the next day.
January 1, 1999
It has been hard. I have been distracted I admit it. I met a woman, and she is amazing. We are destined to be together I can feel it. I am still working, but I fear it is fruitless. While there are Mares all over I have not been able to find the gate they are coming through. California might not have been the best place to start my search.
March 3, 1999
I was married to the love of my life today. It was a small ceremony with just her friends and family present. I had to lie to her about where my people were. I could not jeopardize my plan. If Jon found me he would try to stop me. I will not let him interfere with closing the gate. After I close a gate, I will take my findings to the council, and they will agree with closing the gates. I don’t care if I spend the rest of my life as a janitor if it means souls will no longer be stolen by the goblins.
We don’t want to raise our children in California. Sandy has convinced me to move to a small mountain town in Colorado. I have looked it up, there have been bouts of the sleeping death there in the past. I will continue my research there and hope I will have more to show for it than I have had in California.
I always wondered why they moved here, it didn’t seem like a logical thing to do. It had been what my father needed though, a concentrated area with mares. I wondered if my mom knew about him.
April 26, 2000
I found it! Now I need to figure out how to close it. My daughter will be here in a few months and I pray she will not have to live the life I have.
I wiped a tear away from my face. The last entry was the day before he died. He failed in his attempt to save Twisted Pine from the mares. I didn’t understand everything he was talking about, but I bet Shawn would.
I was buzzing from the information in the journal, but it was late, and I needed to sleep even if it meant I would be tormented by the mare.
CHAPTER 16
I woke up in a cold sweat, clutching at my covers, and looking for the mare who had terrorized me most of the night. I had been having the nicest dream. Shawn and I were on the lake fishing. It wasn’t the real Shawn, but the Shawn my dreamscape had created. I was reeling in a huge lake trout. When Shawn got ready to net it, the trout turned into the mare. He gabbed Shawn, pulled him overboard, then dragged him down into the dark cold water. I tried to jump in the water to go after him, but the damn force field wouldn’t let me. Every time I jumped toward it, I would hit the barrier and bounce back into the boat.
I woke up wanting to jump out of bed and make sure Shawn was alright, but I stayed where I was. I had to believe it wasn’t the real Shawn. I finally got up and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and get cleaned up for the day, remembering Shawn was coming over to study. Crap, I thought. I forgot to tell my parents about it.
I went downstairs and found them decked out in their ski gear. “You guys are going skiing?” I asked, getting a cup of coffee.
“Yeah, sorry we didn’t invite you, but you shouldn’t be skiing with your head still healing,” Dad said, taking a spoonful of his oatmeal.
“Is it okay with you if Shawn and I get together to study for our history test?” I took a sip of my coffee.
They both froze and looked at each other like they had no idea how to respond. “Where are you planning on studying?” Mom finally asked.
“It’s Sunday so the library’s closed. I was just going to have him come here. I didn’t know you guys were going skiing. You wouldn’t have cared if it was Billy.”
“Give us a minute,” Mom
said, pointing toward the living room.
I turned, went into the living room, and sat on the couch with my coffee. I clicked on the television to my favorite morning show and settled in. I was a little worried, they had never acted like this before. They had always trusted me. What had I done other than go on a date to earn their distrust? I told them almost everything going on in my life. If they weren’t going to trust me maybe I would stop telling them what was going on.
A few minutes later, Mom called me into the kitchen. I got up with my now empty coffee cup went back to the kitchen and straight to the coffee pot. I refilled my coffee and turned to them trying not to look as mad as I felt.
“Shawn can come over and study,” Dad said, folding his arms in front of his chest.
I was ready to argue, but then his words registered. They were being reasonable. I couldn’t believe it.
“Understand, sweetheart, you haven’t done anything to make us not trust you, so we are going let you do this, but please be smart and study,” Mom continued for Dad, who didn’t look happy about the situation.
I rolled my eyes. “If we were going to do something else, I would have told you what we were planning.” I was beginning to understand where teenage angst came from, parents not trusting their kids to the point of insanity.
“Don’t be a smart-ass.” Dad brought his arms down and took a step toward me. “No hanky-panky. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Dad. We will be good little high school students and study. I promise.” I took a sip of my coffee. I really wanted to let them know how I felt about their trust issues, but I got what I wanted, there was no need to make him mad and have it taken away.
“With that settled, we are off. Be good.” Mom kissed me on my cheek before going out the garage door.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, this is just really new for me,” Dad said, giving me a hug before following Mom out.